S. Poyser

Putting wrongs to right Campaigns against miscarriages of justice

Campaigns against miscarriages of justice have played a role not just in exposing individual cases of injustice but also in helping to shape criminal justice policy itself. The means by which such campaigns manage to achieve degrees of ‘success’ are therefore of criminological significance. Using the term ‘miscarriages of justice’ to embrace both ‘wrongful convictions’ and the failure of agencies to act appropriately (‘not doing enough’), the article proceeds to define the various ways in which such campaigns might be said to have ‘successful’ outcomes. Using documentary analysis and a programme of interviews with key players, the article then examines the ‘critical success factors’ behind campaigns against miscarriages of justice. It concludes that two factors have been the key to successful campaigns against miscarriages of justice: on the one hand the ability of campaigns to access the social resources and social capital associated with campaigning networks; on the other hand the ability of victims and families associated with injustices to provide the resilience and cohesion which campaigns typically need to achieve goals.

Putting wrongs to right

Campaigns against miscarriages of justice have played a role not just in exposing individual cases of injustice but also in helping to shape criminal justice policy itself. The means by which such campaigns manage to achieve degrees of ‘success’ are therefore of criminological significance. Using the term ‘miscarriages of justice’ to embrace both ‘wrongful convictions’ and the failure of agencies to act appropriately (‘not doing enough’), the article proceeds to define the various ways in which such campaigns might be said to have ‘successful’ outcomes. Using documentary analysis and a programme of interviews with key players, the article then examines the ‘critical success factors’ behind campaigns against miscarriages of justice. It concludes that two factors have been the key to successful campaigns against miscarriages of justice: on the one hand the ability of campaigns to access the social resources and social capital associated with campaigning networks; on the other hand the ability of victims and families associated with injustices to provide the resilience and cohesion which campaigns typically need to achieve goals.

Miscarriages of justice: a call for continued research focussing on reforming the investigative process.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to consider a major cause of miscarriages of justice worldwide, namely the police investigative and interviewing process.Design/methodology/approach – This phenomenon is examined through the lens of psychiatric and psychological research findings and subsequent recommendations that have made a significant impact in term of changes to legislation, policy, and practice in the UK.Findings – The paper shows that despite major improvements in this area in the UK there is still no room for complacency, as miscarriages of justice continue to occur both here and worldwide.Research limitations/implications – This paper calls for researchers to continue to identify the weaknesses in the police investigative and interview process and to propose reform based on their scientific findings.Originality/value – The paper highlights what remains a somewhat neglected piece of the investigative jigsaw, namely the interviewing of adult victims and witnesses, pinpointing this as an area w...

Does the Effectiveness of CCTV as a Crime Prevention Strategy Outweigh the Threat to Civil Liberties

CCTV can be viewed as part of: CCTV then, has the ability to simultaneously intrude and protect. Whether it protects at the expense of peoples civil liberties and, if so, whether this is always beneficial is the focus of this discussion. A web of surveillance which far exceeds anything that is historically known … It can invade privacy and make Orwells 1984 a reality. But it can also … be liberating and protective. Therefore, it may be socially beneficial as well as harmful. (Young, 1999: 192) Those concerned about civil liberty issues may argue that whilst CCTV remains the dominant form of crime prevention in the UK, it is necessary to strive to achieve a balance of the rights to privacy and protection (Young, 1999). However, as is recognised in the Human Rights Act 1998, sometimes these competing claims are irreconcilable, with one inevitably taking priority over the other (Young, 1999). This discussion will first set CCTV in Britain in its historical context. It will then address its uses and effectiveness, and examine how these have been evaluated. Concentrating particularly on the use of CCTV in public and semi-public places (as civil liberties concerns focus strongly on this area), the argument that CCTV threatens civil liberties will be examined. Finally, there is a suggestion that efforts to balance concern for civil liberties against crime prevention successes may be undermined in practice by influences beyond the control of both those involved in the CCTV industry and civil libertarians.

Police practitioners and place managers’ understandings and perceptions of heritage crime in Nottinghamshire

‘So you know, as daft as it sounds, if you’ve got a building, that really isn’t a priority, is it?’ Despite the wealth of heritage sites in the UK, the topic is a marginalised area of criminological study here. It has been argued that there is discordance between the concepts of ‘heritage’ and ‘crime’. One is holistic; the other set in the law. Through a programme of semi-structured interviews with ‘heritage place managers’ and questionnaires delivered to neighbourhood policing teams in Nottinghamshire Police, this research aimed to examine this clash. In particular, it aimed to compare and contrast heritage place managers’ understandings and experiences of heritage crime with those of police practitioners. It was found that the two groups differed markedly in this respect, creating feelings of frustration and stagnation for both. Such findings are of particular concern in the light of statistics which demonstrate that heritage crime is occurring frequently across the UK, and evidence that offenders are targeting new heritage assets and sites in response to changing legislation. Budget cuts, which continue to impact upon policing priorities in Nottinghamshire, further compound the problem. The conclusion of this article details the potential impacts of these findings and suggests changes relating to both the heritage and policing sectors.